Wanasetock War
The Wanasetock War was fought in 1675 between England and the native Wanasetock tribe of New England. The English, led by Ralph Bedford, allied with some local natives and assaulted the Wanasetock village, killing all of the Indians and destroying all of the buildings in a massacre of the populace. The Wanasetock tribe was completely wiped out by the war. Background Arrival in New England The colony of New England in North America rapidly expanded in the mid-17th century as thousands and thousands of English settlers came in to discover a new land for the crown, with several ships coming in. In 1667, the English aristocrat Ralph Bedford and six settlers set foot in the New World in New England, seeking to build a new settlement for England. It was named "Bedford Park" in honor of the explorer, and it rapidly grew in size as more settlers arrived, more trees were felled, more berries were gathered for supplies, and more homes were built. Eventually, Bedford Park was a sizeable settlement, and the people lived happily. Native contact However, the Native Americans of the region were unhappy. The local Wanasetock tribe chief Quimmequin stole two sheep from land near the settlement, leading to English settlers becoming angry. Bedford believed that the land next to the settlement also belonged to England, and that this action was theft. Wanasetock was non-lethally injured by a few bullets, forcing him to flee. On the side of the English was the Native American Setatunca, who was rescued from two outlaws by Bedford. Setatunca and Bedford chased Quimmequin off before exploring more lands, and they went on to rescue another Indian, Quipnock. The English developed their settlement as Bedford and his two Indian allies built trading posts along the main trade route and at a Huron village, and the English enlisted the help of the Huron to provide security for their colony. War 1667-1675 skirmishes The conflict between the English and Wanasetock erupted following the incident in which Quimmequin was fired upon as he took two sheep from the land near Bedford Park. The Indians launched small-scale raids and exploratory expeditions near the English settlement, although nobody was killed on the English side. Occasionally, shots would be fired and some natives would die, but the natives were never strong in numbers. This was the case from 1667 to 1675, when English reinforcements from Bristol were shipped out to assist the colony and its Huron allies. The English sent their soldiers to an outpost located along the trade route, and the English built Fort Ingoldsby along the trade route to protect the town. More English troops arrived, and it became clear that they aimed to destroy the Wanasetock. Total war Eventually, the English and allied Huron-Wyandot warriors decided to embark on the final destruction of the town, with American colonial militia assisting the English regulars and Native American warriors in torching the town. The villagers were massacred, as were the few warriors; the town was nearly completely razed. The Wanasetock attempted to surrender to the English, as Quimmequin had been killed and the town destroyed, but the colonists sought the total annihilation of the tribe. They tracked down every last villager and killed them, and the Wanasetock disappeared without a trace. Afterwards, the English were able to establish a peaceful community at Bedford Park, successfully establishing their colony. Category:Wars